PSY 200 Case Study One The U.S. Correctional System snhu

Case Study Milestone One: The U.S. Correctional System

Client Background

Katie is a 35-year-old woman, a married mother of two children, with a rising professional career. However, Katie struggles with a substance use disorder, primarily involving the misuse of pain medications and muscle relaxants, specifically Soma. Her addiction began in her mid-20s after a car accident, which led to her being prescribed pain medication. Initially, Katie used the medication as directed, but she eventually began to enjoy the euphoric effects it provided. This enjoyment led her to seek out additional pain medications from various doctors, citing different injuries and pain.

Over time, Katie’s addiction deepened as she turned to friends, coworkers, and family members to obtain more medication when her prescriptions were exhausted. Her addiction further escalated when she discovered she could purchase medications online, causing significant financial strain on her family. Despite these issues, Katie has managed to keep her job and avoid legal consequences thus far, although her marriage has suffered greatly due to her substance abuse.

Presenting Problem

Katie’s substance abuse has placed immense pressure on her marriage and family life. Her husband, Lewis, has reached his breaking point and issued Katie an ultimatum: either stop using pain medication, or he would leave her and take their two children. Despite her addiction, Katie has faced minimal consequences, maintaining her job and avoiding legal issues. However, her relationship with her husband is on the verge of collapse.

After Katie’s substance use was discovered by her husband, she agreed to enter a residential treatment facility, where she spent four weeks. Although she made some progress in treatment, Katie did not participate in any aftercare services, such as 12-step meetings or continued therapy, which are crucial for long-term recovery. Similarly, her husband did not attend any family programs or Al-Anon meetings, which are designed to support families dealing with substance abuse.

Upon completing residential treatment, Katie attempted to stay sober on her own, claiming she had her substance use under control. However, over the past few months, her old habits resurfaced, and she began purchasing pain medications online again. This has led to further strain on her marriage, and her husband is now seeking a meeting with a substance abuse professional to discuss intervention and other treatment options.

Initial Assessment and Intervention

During the initial meeting with the substance abuse professional, Katie’s husband expressed his concerns and hinted at the possibility of divorce if Katie did not seek further help. Katie became emotional during the meeting but ultimately refused to return to residential treatment, insisting she could manage her addiction on her own. A compromise was reached, where Katie agreed to attend individual counseling once a week. However, this arrangement was viewed as inadequate by the substance abuse professional, who believed it set Katie up for failure.

Katie attended her first individual therapy session but downplayed her substance use, claiming she had not used any pain medication and was not experiencing withdrawal symptoms. She attributed her relapse to stress rather than acknowledging the severity of her addiction. In a subsequent couple’s therapy session, Katie and her husband focused on financial issues and child care, rather than addressing her substance abuse in detail.

Katie did not attend her second individual therapy session, and there has been no further contact with either Katie or her husband since the couple’s session. The substance abuse professional involved in Katie’s case expressed concern that very little progress had been made and that Katie was likely to relapse into her previous patterns of substance use. Given Katie’s history, it is highly probable that she will continue to struggle with her addiction unless she receives more comprehensive and committed treatment.

Conclusion

Katie’s case highlights the challenges of treating substance use disorders, particularly when the individual is not fully committed to the recovery process. Her initial reluctance to engage in aftercare and her husband’s lack of involvement in family support programs have contributed to her ongoing struggles. The lack of consequences Katie has faced so far may also play a role in her belief that she can control her addiction without professional help. However, without proper treatment and support, Katie is at risk of falling deeper into addiction, which could lead to more severe consequences, including the loss of her marriage, children, job, and potentially her life.

The next steps in Katie’s treatment should involve re-engaging her in therapy, possibly with a focus on helping her understand the chronic nature of addiction and the importance of ongoing support. It may also be beneficial to involve her husband more directly in the treatment process, helping him understand the role he can play in supporting Katie’s recovery.

References

• Capuzzi, D., & Stauffer, M. D. (2019). Foundations of Addictions Counseling (4th Edition). Pearson Education.
• Doweiko, H. E. (2018). Concepts of Chemical Dependency (10th Edition). Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning.
• “Prescription Painkiller Overdoses.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4 Sept. 2018, https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/prescriptionpainkilleroverdoses/index.html .